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America's Oldest "Net Zero" House

This 110-year-old Victorian home in Ann Arbor is America's oldest and Michigan's first Net Zero home.

Ben Jervey
By Ben JerveyOct 29, 2010
Ben Jervey
Ben is a writer and editor covering climate change, energy, and environment, and is currently the Climate and Energy Media Fellow at Vermont Law School. He was the original Environment Editor at GOOD Magazine and his work has appeared regularly in National Geographic News, Grist, DeSmogBlog, and OnEarth. He recently worked with the non-profit Focus the Nation to publish an Energy 101 primer. When living in New York City, he wrote a book, The Big Green Apple, on how to live a lower impact life in the city. A bicycle enthusiast, Ben has ridden across the United States and through much of Europe.
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Kelly and Matt Grocoff bought a 110-year-old Victorian home in Ann Arbor, Michigan's Old West Side Historic District, and immediately set out to make it a "net zero" building, or one that generates at least as much energy as it uses, and—by their definition—"creates zero waste and will be a restorative part of our community."

As it turned out, Kelly and Matt's house earned a lot of superlatives:

  • America's oldest Net Zero residential restoration.
  • Michigan's first Net Zero energy home.
  • America's first Net Zero home restoration in a historic district.

Here's how they did it.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKYUeAyfPiM&feature=player_embedded

Read more about their adventures in this incredible green retrofit and check out some more photos and video on their website.

environmentenergyhousingefficiencycarbon neutralcash for caulkersretrofithomestarnet zerorenovationnet zero energy

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